13 killed as Libyan forces advance in Sirte

By Jabour Dokan

TRIPOLI, Libya

At least 13 pro-government fighters were killed on Friday as government forces advanced into the last remaining Daesh stronghold in Libya’s northern city of Sirte.

Clashes broke out between Daesh militants and government forces as the latter pushed into the Ghiza Bahriya area, government forces said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Akram Akliwan, a spokesman of the Misrata central hospital, said 13 people had been killed in the violence.

“More than 18 people were injured, including three seriously,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Since May, forces aligned with the UN-backed unity government have been fighting Daesh militants in an effort to recapture Sirte, which was overrun by the terrorist group in 2015.

According to Libyan medics, around 446 government forces have been killed in clashes with Daesh militants in Sirte since May.

Libya has remained in a state of turmoil since 2011, when a bloody uprising ended with the ouster and death of longtime strongman Muammar Gaddafi.